By Linzi Watson

Published at 11:23, Thursday, 21 May 2009

HAVING visited India Amanda Mudge witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of poverty and human trafficking.

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Now, the harrowing experiences of victims have inspired her to raise the profile of the crime and money to help stamp it out from her home in Stanwix, Carlisle, through her business Something Precious.

Mrs Mudge – helped by husband David – has turned jeweller to design and sell ceramic adornments, with a proportion of the money raised donated to international aid charity Stop The Traffik.

Mrs Mudge, 38, who previously worked with Christian development agency OM, told the News & Star: “In India we became aware of a girl who had been sold by her father because they were so poor. We could not have placed this girl back with her family because she would have been sold again.

“The family were so desperate.”

She added: “I have come face to face with the plight of women and children in extreme poverty.

“This has made me appreciate my freedom and my lifestyle and inspired me to try and help those whose life is dominated by control and fear.”

Human trafficking is the third largest source of income for organised crime, exceeded only by arms and drugs trafficking.

With every pair of earrings or pendant Mrs Mudge sells, £1 is donated to Stop The Traffik who are working to stop the sale of people, to see the traffickers prosecuted and to rehabilitate the victims.

She added: “Our vision is ‘make something precious – do something precious’ by helping organisations that help exploited women and children.”

Mrs Mudge, of Knowe Road, Carlisle, has been making jewellery as a hobby for many years but only concentrated her efforts full-time last year.

She said: “I had so many requests from friends and colleagues that I decided to start a business. I realised I could use these pieces of jewellery to do something in the lives of vulnerable women and children.”

Mrs Mudge will be selling and exhibiting her jewellery at Lanercost Priory Tea Room on bank holiday Monday where she will also give a talk on human trafficking.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk